2 thoughts -------- A) Yes the thought of a MORON in the White House scares the shit out of me -- and I mean Moron --- or worse yet someone who is certifiably mentally ill. In America -- if you have money and the backing of powerful people you could just win through lies, deception, half-truths and voter manipulation. Bush's IQ was of considerable concern in that he was almost incapable of perceiving the complexity of the nation's problems. AND he consistently stumbled over putting 2 coherent thoughts together in English! I'm sure some States have elected Governors or Senators who were certifiably mentally ill. Sometime in the future a test for mental stability should become part of the requirement for office!
B) The whole question of the religion of the candidate has been part of the American electoral process for a long time. When I was young every flyer I ever read for our town hall officials, state reps etc. always mentioned that they were "family people, church goers and veterans" -- we're talking the 1960's here! This was supposed to imply that they were solid stable citizens fully participating in the established social structures. The emphasis on religion in the 1960 Presidential election was the glass ceiling that NO Catholic in US history up to that point had been elected to that high an office -- although many Catholics had risen to high office in STATE elections as Governors or Senators.
The issue with Religion NOW is largely due to the 30 year "awakening" of the Conservative Evangelical vote originally "roused" by the Moral Majority of Jerry Falwell and his Thomas Road Baptist Church in Virginia. While it was assumed achievers to high office would at least be Christians (and white I might add) the social trends of the 1960's i.e. gay rights, women's liberation, no prayer in public schools, Roe vs Wade and Black power was sufficient to congeal the fear and anger of the conservatives to flex their political muscle -- once it found a voice! Up until this time -- the Republican party of Nelson Rockefeller, Bill Scranton, Everett Dirkson, Margaret Chase-Smith, even Barry Goldwater or Nixon etc. NEVER EVER EVER made the "ideology" of religion a criteria of conscience OR platform!
When the Republicans as a party crawled into bed with the Conservative RELGIOUS RIGHT, it has "morphed" the party into something most of the people I've listed above wouldn't recognize! Economics was usually the dividing line between Conservatives and "Liberals." NOW -- it is the social agenda of those candidates that takes the forefront (in addition to economic theory). Even up to GW, the "real" power in the Republican party "pandered" to the voice and concerns of the RR (relgious right) -- but never followed through on policy. While they wanted their vote and propagandized to their fears -- once in power -- they took a more middle of the road position. In that vein, the RR has felt used and abused by the Republicans so that their own INTERNAL dynamic is a "litmus" test as to who the REAL conservatives are (does the word Rino -- Republicans in Name Only) ring a bell!
All this said --- for over 30 years the Pastors of the South (and Midwest)have been telling their people ad naseum that the nation needs saving by electing Good Solid Christians to high office. It is the ONLY way to "take back" our Country and return it to the "old fashioned" values of God, family and Country. Christians united for a "cause" such as this raise BIG sums of money and faithfully turn out to the polls in droves. It's why the "wedge" issues excite them so much! In the last election, the conservative ferver for Sarah Palin had more to do with her religious convictions than it did for her actual qualifications!!
Now they're being told that they should line up behind a Mormon! And if you've ever known a died in the wool Southern Baptist you'd have no trouble seeing how this just does not fly -- even if there is an "R" behind his name at the ballot box! While the Democrats and probably most main stream Americans don't give a damn about the Relgious convictions of an office holder -- the Conservative, Relgious Right Evangelicals most CERTAINLY do care --- big time! Yes indeed a Mormon in the White House scares the shit out of them (the OP's question I believe)!
And the total indecision of the Republican Party at this point to pick a viable candidate my friends is due to the great bed they have made in "pandering" to a group that has never before had such a powerful clout of money, voice and vote! Pastors in some of these churches have had voter registration tables in their foyers. They have passed out flyers telling the faithful WHO to vote for. They have told their followers that only a GOOD Christian could ever vote straight Republican! (just can't imagine the Democrats doing this!) It's going to take quite a while for the Republican Party to either crawl out from under this dilemna OR they are going to continue this "inner" wrangling finding the great white savior to bring America back to its founding father's ideal! (or what they THINK is the ideal). Enough said! Except --- when Mike Huckaby decided not to run there was a great groan in RRight circles. If he were in this, he'd be THE candidate of choice -- period!